Friday, March 24, 2006

Labour's Spectacular Council Poll Failure

Yesterday there was a local council by-election in the knife-edge marginal Ewhurst ward at Surrey's Waverley Borough Council. An independent candidate shocked all three major parties by pulling off a shock win to take the seat by 12 votes from the Conservatives. But what was equally shocking was that Labour scored just 6 votes (out of nearly 1,000 cast!). This means that the four of the people who nominated the Labour candidate didn't even vote for him! After the last few days I suppose this shouldn't come as much of a surprise!

Richard, given the reason for the by-election (the sitting Conservative councillor stood down following his conviction for fraud) that is really funny! The Labour vote switched to the Independent to beat the Tories... which is hardly a vote of confidence in Comical Cami's Tories.

The Labour vote in Surrey is very soft. I suspect that it directed to be so from "on high" to aid the Liberal Democrats unermine the Conservatives in their own backyard. Given the background of the by-election, it is not surprising that the Conservative candidate did not "pull it off". However,I am very surprised that the Lib Dems' attempts to make capital of the situation and win, failed.

hughes views - Keighley West has special circumstances, being a BNP held seat, although the figures I've got are slightly different (I think the last contest was for three seats with some parties fielding less than full slates, confusing things) - Bradford MBC, Keighley WestLab 1819 (47.0;+22.2), BNP 1216 (31.4;+2.3), Con 627 (16.2;-3.8),LD 208 (5.4;-4.8)[Ind 0 (0.0;-15.8)]Majority 603. Turnout 35.14. Lab gain BNP. Last fought 2004

Everyone - Even in 1997 Labour in South West Surrey polled less than 10% of the vote. Elsewhere in Surrey Labour polled 12 votes in an Epsom & Ewell by-election back in October (down 4.2% to 1.4%) - which we thought was a new low then!